Hey friend!
Are you blowing up your deals by losing your patience or trying to fake your way through questions with buyers in the first 5 minutes?
No worries, I did the same!
I remember an embarrassing experience I had with a client when I was a rookie automotive associate. A lady asked me if we sold a specific car model on our lot, and because I hadn't done my homework, I told her I didn't think we sold that model here. She looked me dead in the eye, told me to go home and do my homework, and she walked right off the lot.
My ego took a massive hit, and I went home empty-handed because I didn’t close a single client that afternoon.
Today, I’m going to show you the 2 major mistakes I made during that sales process so you can keep your credibility high, protect your commission, and close the sale right there and then.
Let's dive in.
Mistake # 1: You Don't Know Your Inventory Inside And Out.
The biggest mistake you can make on the showroom floor is not taking the time to study what you actually have to sell.
Knowing your product is crucial because it builds your credibility with the buyer. In my story, I made the huge mistake of not looking at what we actually had to offer. We didn’t have that specific model sitting out on the lot at that exact time, so my dumb ass just assumed we didn't carry it at all.
So embarrassing and pathetic!
I’m sure you know this, but let me say it anyway...
In the automotive business, metal moves fast. Just because a vehicle is not parked right in front of the showroom glass or outside in the parking lot, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in your system. It could be in secondary storage, sitting around back as a fresh trade-in, or coming in on a transport truck. When you don't know your inventory, you look lazy or confused, and the buyer will instantly lose trust in you.
So, what do you do to fix this? Simple, you need to treat your lot like your own personal business:
Walk the lot every single morning. Look at the fresh trade-ins and read the window stickers so you never have to guess on specs when a buyer asks.
Study the incoming manifest daily. Know what vehicles are on the transport truck so you can sell them to a client before they even hit the ground.
Be a data source for your buyer. Learn the basic facts, pros, and cons of your vehicles so you can give clear, honest answers without stuttering.
Mistake 2: You try to "fake it to make it" in front of the customer.
Trying to act like an expert when you are actually a rookie will trigger a buyer's red flags and scare them away fast.
During that sales process, my ego got in the way. I felt too embarrassed to say those three simple words: "I don't know." Instead of being honest, I tried to fake it, which insulted my client’s intelligence because she obviously knew more about that vehicle model than I did.
When I train people on how to become great communicators and connectors using the DISC method, this question always comes up: "What if my customer asks me a question and I don’t have the answer?" My response is always the same...
“Never try to BS your client by making up an answer.”
If you try to trick a buyer with gimmicks or fake answers, they will immediately think you are just another sleazy salesperson trying to get paid.
This is especially true if you are dealing with a highly analytical "C" style buyer. A Conscientious buyer does their homework before they ever set foot on your lot. They love spreadsheets, data, and hard facts. If you try to fake an answer with a "C" style buyer, they will catch you instantly. They will not trust you, and you will lose the deal.
So, use these tactics to keep the deal alive:
Call a timeout on your pride. If a buyer asks a tough technical question you don't know, just tell them you want to verify the exact data for them so you don't give them the wrong info.
Get the answer immediately. Walk over to your desk, pull up the factory build sheet in the system, and show them the real proof right there on the screen.
Always deliver on your promise. If you have to find out and get back to them, make sure you actually do it. Keeping your word is how you build a real bridge to the final signature.
What is your most embarrassing showroom story?
That evening, when I got home from the lot with zero dollars in my pocket, I started studying all the different models and features we had to offer. Not too long after that, I was selling a lot more than the average sales associate and…
Subscribe to Auto Sales Insiders to read the rest.
Become a paying subscriber of Default to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.
Download Your Printable Assets Here 👍
